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Topic: My essay will cover the rise of serial music (music composed based on mathematical formulas and numerical values) in the 20th century.
Thesis: In the first half of the 20th century, having recognized the limits of tonal music, Arnold Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School of composers ushered in serial music, a new type of music based more on math than on chords.
General Direction: I will start by describing the state of classical music at the turn of the 20th century, citing works by late Romantic and early modern composers like Mahler and Stravinsky. I will then explain the limitations of the tonal system, and why Schoenberg composed using his new, twelve-tone, serial system. After this, I will describe the development of twelve-tone music by the Second Viennese School. I will then show how this twelve-tone system was adopted by composers like Stravinsky and expanded into serial music. Finally, I will explain the musical movement's overall effect on both classical and popular music.
Preliminary Sources:
Haimo, Ethan. “Developing Variation and Schoenberg's Serial Music.” Music Analysis, vol. 16, no. 3,
1997, pp. 349–365. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/854403.
Kostka, Stefan M. Materials and Techniques of Twentieth-century Music. Upper Saddle River, NJ:Prentice Hall, 2006. Print.
Lecture 131 - 23.5 - Schoenberg and the Twelve-tone Music. Perf. Craig Wright. Coursera. Yale
University. Web.
This topic is certainly specific enough for the essay. While it is a relatively narrow interest, by tying it in to late Romantic classical music you make it accessible to a wide audience. I think that you have the beginnings of a very good essay.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have everything pretty well figured out. Your topic is certainly specific enough and you have a solid timeline and beginnings of an outline.
ReplyDeleteI think your scope is very clear. The topic is also very concise, and you seem to have it well thought out. The only thing I would caution is the implications of this topic may be narrow. If you can expand on how this shift effects society socially or perhaps economically it may be helpful.
ReplyDeleteYour topic seems very solid and well planned already. If there are other reasons behind this shift, it'd be interesting to hear about those as well. Why did Schoenberg think there were limitations in the current music style?
ReplyDeleteYour topic seems very well thought out! You have a time frame and know exactly what you want to discuss! I couldn't quite pinpoint what makes is significant about your topic. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLouis, as your classmates noted, I think you're on the right track. I sense you can take your thesis farther, though. Can you weave in the significance of the shift? Aim to get at the essence of why this matters, and your thesis will be a more interesting claim.
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